Broadband, rural contexts and local economic dynamics

Abstract

This research explores the relationship between broadband availability and quality and entrepreneurship in rural regions in three states. Using quantitative techniques, it investigates the unique properties of rural locations as they may bear on connectivity's associations with various types of entrepreneurial endeavors. It shows that digital ventures and sole proprietorships are both highly related to local broadband speeds, but that conditions of rurality mitigate those impacts, enhancing the proprietorship results attributable to broadband speed but depressing or reversing the presence of digital ventures in the most rural regions. The research throws into question how the assumptions of scaled efforts intrinsic to digital ventures may disadvantage or misrepresent the highly specific and low volume of enterprises in rural regions. It does appear that Internet speeds and services matter for rural regions, but understanding business dependence on the Internet must consider business sector and local business acumen and the local broadband environment.